Romney plan would force seniors out of nursing homes, says DNC leader

Saturday

Jul 28, 2012 at 2:00 AM

PORTSMOUTH — Under GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney's plan to revamp the country's Medicaid program, "many nursing home residents would no longer be able to remain in their nursing homes," Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz told about 150 people at Obama for America headquarters Friday.

Elizabeth Dinan

PORTSMOUTH — Under GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney's plan to revamp the country's Medicaid program, "many nursing home residents would no longer be able to remain in their nursing homes," Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz told about 150 people at Obama for America headquarters Friday.

Schultz said that's because Romney's proposed "block grant" program would provide states funding for seniors and let the states decide how to "divide that coverage," while 60 percent of seniors in nursing homes "get their ability to pay their nursing homes from Medicaid."

Schultz, a Florida Democrat, said there are 221,000 senior citizens on Medicaid in New Hampshire, where she said her family has a vacation home. She noted Monday is the 50th anniversary of Medicaid and blasted Romney "and his tea party extremist allies" for wanting to "rip that safety net out from under our seniors in America."

"We are not going to allow that to happen," Schultz said, prompting applause from supporters at the campaign headquarters on Brewery Lane.

Schultz said Romney's plan to turn Medicaid into "a voucher program" would force the state's senior citizens to pay $6,300 more each for medical care. In contrast, she said, the federal Affordable Care Act has given seniors $600 more each for prescription drugs and allowed them access to annual wellness checkups.

In a statement released in advance of Schultz's visit, Wayne MacDonald, chairman of the N.H. Republican State Committee, said, "Debbie talks a good game, but her rhetoric ignores reality.

"To help pay for Obamacare, the Democrats cut Medicare benefits by $500 billion, a plan supported by (Democratic Congressional candidates) Annie Kuster and Carol Shea-Porter," MacDonald said. "At a time when seniors face increasing costs, it's outrageous that Democrats not only cut this important program, but they also have no plan to prevent it from going bankrupt. If Shea-Porter and Kuster really support seniors and Medicare, they'll use this visit by their party leadership to explain to voters why they supported cutting $500 billion from Medicare."

Schultz was not available to take questions following the event, said a staffer, who explained she had other speaking engagements.

During her 15-minute speech in Portsmouth, Schultz also voiced her support for Obama's economic recovery efforts, while criticizing Republicans for caring "only about one job — Barack Obama's."

"The American dream is possible for everyone, not just millionaires and billionaires," Schultz said.

She urged local voters to "mobilize and organize" in the 102 days until the presidential election, so they would wake up the following morning and read in the newspaper that "Barack Obama was re-elected president."

"We have a real opportunity to turn the state blue again," she said. "We want to make sure we don't wake up the day after the election and say 'woulda, shoulda.'"

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